Willie Wright (musician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Willie Wright
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | William C. Gathright |
| Born | July 7, 1939 Belen, Quitman County, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Died | June 29, 2020 (aged 80) Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. |
| Genres | Soul |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
| Instruments | Guitar, flute, keyboards |
William C. Gathright (born July 7, 1939 – died June 29, 2020), known as Willie Wright, was an American soul singer and songwriter. He became famous later in his life for his 1977 album, Telling the Truth, which was "rediscovered" by many fans.
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Willie Wright's Life and Music Journey
Willie Wright was born in Belen, Quitman County, Mississippi, in the United States. When he was a teenager, he loved to sing. He joined a doo-wop group called The Persuaders with his friends George Bragg and Harry Jensen in Harlem, New York City. Doo-wop is a style of music where singers use their voices to make sounds and rhythms.
Early Days and First Steps
Later, these three friends formed a group called the Willie Wright Trio. Willie then started performing by himself. He sang and wrote his own songs in clubs in Greenwich Village, a famous neighborhood in New York City. He also played the flute with another group called The Three Degrees.
Willie Wright was offered deals to sign with big record companies. But he decided to stay independent. He wanted to make his own music his own way. He believed in having artistic freedom.
Making His Own Way
He moved to Boston, Massachusetts, and kept singing in clubs. In 1969, he started his own record label called Hotel Records. He released a single song through his new label.
In the early 1970s, Willie released his first album. It was called Lack of Education, also known as Too Soon to Know. This album mostly had cover versions of songs by other musicians. One of these was "Right On For The Darkness" by Curtis Mayfield.
In 1976, Willie began performing for people visiting Nantucket, an island known for vacations. He liked it there and decided to move. He started writing many new songs.
A Rediscovered Talent
The next year, 1977, he recorded his second album, Telling the Truth, in New York. He recorded this album without spending a lot of money. In return, he recorded some commercials.
Music experts described Telling the Truth as a very personal album. It explored Willie's thoughts about his life and relationships. The music was simple and intimate. It was recorded very quickly, all in one day. Willie released this album himself and mostly sold it at his live performances.
In the early 1990s, Willie Wright moved to Providence, Rhode Island. He continued to perform there. He stopped performing live in 2002. Before that, he recorded and released a live album called Brother Bill.
His song "Right On For The Darkness" was included on several compilation albums. These albums featured rare soul music. The song became a highly collectible record for music fans.
Willie Wright was not widely known until 2011. That year, his album Telling the Truth was re-released on CD by The Numero Group. This re-release created a lot of interest. People even compared his music to Bill Withers.
Even though he had Parkinson's disease, Willie decided to record a new album. It was called This Is Not A Dream. He recorded it in Burlington, Vermont. This album was released in 2012 by Green Coil Records.
Willie Wright passed away on June 29, 2020, in Providence, Rhode Island. He was 80 years old.
